Crating system for sheet material or the like



Dec. 8, 1953 J. w. ylRmKEN 2,661,837

CRATING SYSTEM FOR SHEET MATERIAL OR THE LIKE Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet l I I L" T I d5 E Jdmes WMC Cracker; W, 14M 41 wu. %a M.

Dec. 8, 1953 J. w. MGCRACKEN 2,661,837

CRATING SYSTEM FOR SHEET MATERIAL OR THE LIKE Filed May 15, 1951 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR James M/Mc five/fen Patented Dec. 8, 1953 UNITED stares CRATING SYSTEM FOR SHEET MATERIAL OR THE LIKE James W. McCracken, Leechburg, Pa. Application May 15; 1951, Serial No. 226,443

7 Claims. (Cl."206-60) This invention relates to a new crating sys' tem for heavy material such as steel sheets or the like. More particularly, .it pertains to a new kind of crate made of a material like wood and a new system of crating for handling orshipping flat sheet material such as steel sheets having a high grade finish.

For some time it has been customary practice for manufactur rs of high grade steel sheets as those made by cold rolling processes and provided with expensive and valuable finishes, to be shipped in wooden crates. Such sheets are supplied in a variety of thicknesses and of sizes such, for example, as six feet by twelve feet, four feet by ten feet, three feet by ten feet, three feet by eight feet, two and one-half feet by eight feet and many others. Because of weight restrictions, for example, imposed by consignees or others the number of sheets so shipped, and consequently the. weight, in a single crate :was not large. In some cases the total weight'of steel sheets and crate could not exceed about 800 pounds. It-is evident therefore that the greater the weight of the wooden crate, the less, erally speaking, the weight of metal sheets that could be shipped in that crate.

Moreover, in a much used form of crate the bottom was solid and extended entirely to the outside along the respective sides of the crate. It was usual for purposes of strength to place metal binding strips around those ends and the sides of the box and bend them over the top for nailing to strengthen the crate in that respect. Further, separate skid pieces were fastened to the bottom along each side so that the box might be pulled along in the warehouse or plant. The making of such a crate also involved, as a general rule, starting its assembly upside down on the bottom. Thereafter it was turned over and completed after the sheet material had been placed therein. Since such crates might weigh well over a hundred pounds, trouble was involved in such a manufacturing system. After the sheet material such as steel sheets have been placed in the box, it was also a general'practice to cover them with a solid Wood filler layer. This layer might comprise one or more planks usually ex tending longitudinally. Thereafter, top cross boards were nailed to the sides of the crate to cover it and hold the filler planks in place and in view of the cost of the wood required in maltins such crates.

In the crating system of this invention, the foregoing difficulties have been overcome and a new crate and method of crating is provided having many advantages. For example, in the new crate standard materials can be used with a minimum of assembly labor required therein. Such labor involves no more than a rip or crosscut sawing and the nailing together of structural parts of the assembly. There is less handling in the construction of the new crate in that it is made right-side-up from the beginning and does not have to be turned over as was the case with the older practice described. In the construction, further, subassemblies can be provided heforehand for rapid completion of the new crate. Such completion is possible irrespective of the particular size of crate required at a particular time; In addition, the new crate utilizes afar smaller quantity of wood in its construction, presents a more attractive appearance and provides side rail members of greater depth relatively than were generally used in corresponding crates made under the older practice. As a consequence, such side rail members in the new crate exhibit a greater rigidity when lifting or handling loaded new crates by the center. It also provides ledge rails on which the side edges of the sheet material rest preventing cross deflection along the length thereof. The side metal binding strips are used in the older practice and are not required nor are separate skid pieces employed in the new construction of this invention. The salvage value of the new crate is high relative to other forms of crates employed. The new crate is susceptible of being given an extremely attractive appearance at low cost while at the same time protecting both the finish and the flatness of the sheet material carried thereby.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following description and from the drawings, which are illustrative only, in which: Figure l is a plan'view of the lower portionof a new crate made in accordance with this in- 3 vention;

the metal binding strips discussed above were 3 Figure 2 is a view in side-elevation of the crate shown in Figure 1 with top crosspieces in their relative final assembly positions and with the right-handend of the crate as viewed in Figure 2 in section taken along line II-II of Figure l; Figure 3 is a view in partial section taken along line III-J11 of Figure 1 after the crate in Fig ure 1 has been filled and the entire assembly thereof completed; and

Figure 4 is -a perspective view of a corner of the crate shown in the preceding figures with the nearer end rail, liners and sheet material removed.

Referring to the drawings, in the new crate a pair of side rails l9 will, in general, determine the inside height of the crate when finally assembled as shown in Figure 3. Lumber suitable for side rails comes in standard lengths such as ten feet which closely matches one of the standard lengths of sheets such as cold rolled steel sheets of high quality which are generally shipped in crates. Hence, if the entire height of a standard lumber section such as a two by four is not to be utilized, a simple ripping operation on a power saw will prepare the rails It for use. Similarly, a pair of ledge rails H which may be made from a size of lumber such as a one by two comes in a standard length of like utility and will require ripping only when the entire section of the wood is not to be used. The lumber generally used will be dressed or at least semi-dressed lumber, although such is not necessary. With fully dressed lumber it is of course necessary to make due allowance for the smaller dimensions thereof. For example, a two by four after being fully dressed has a section one and five-eighths inches by three and five-eighths inches in normal lumber mill practice.

The ledge rails H are usually nailed as by nails l2 of suitable length and weight to the lower inner sides of the side rails Hi. Other fastening means such as wood screws, with for example, countersunk heads may be used but such a construction normally would add to the cost of the crate and is not essential. The height between the top of the ledge strips H and the respective tops of the side rails 10 determines the inside clearance of the new crate available for liners, any tightening strips and the steel sheets to be shipped in the crate.

Nailing strips l3 which are also of lumber, which may be scrap lumber in random lengths are affixed to the inner lower sides of the ledge strips H as by nails 14 which nails M may also serve to further affix the rails H to their adja- 2 cent side rails iii respectively. If more than one length of a nailing strip 13 is used on a side in a single one of the new crates, the ends of the pieces making up an entire length of a nailing strip 13 are abutted end-to-end so as to be continuous as shown in Figure 1. Each siderail Hi, its accompanying ledge rail H and nailing strip [3 may comprise a subassembly made in any desired length standard in lumber mill practice. In that way, whatever length crate is required makes it necessary only to crosscut saw the subassembly to the desired length of the sheet material that will be shipped. Two such subassemblies with the inner-side facing each other may have their respective side and ledge rails and nailing strips considered as being inwardly and downwardly stepped.

In afn'xing the nailing strips l3 to their respective ledge rails H, the height of the strips 3 is selected so that the distance from the top of the nailing strips to the top of the ledge strips l l is the thickness of the bottom crosspieces 15 that will be used. The length of the bottom crosspieces plus the thickness of the ledge rails H at each end thereof will be the width of the sheet material to be shipped plus possibly one-eighth or one-quarter of an inch additionally on each side for clearance. Such a small clearance enables the sheet material to be readily placed in the new crate and removed therefrom.

A succession of spaced bottom crosspieces l5 are employed as shown in Figures 1, 2 and 4 along the length of the new crate finally being asembled. These bottom crosspieces l5 are afl'ixed in place as by nails i6. Thus the upper surface of the bottom crosspieces i5 and the tops of the ledge strips H define a plane for the inside bottom of the wooden portion of the new crate and also define a supporting surface across and around the entire edge of heavy sheets being shipped therein. Hence, there is no sagging and the sheets remain flat.

The end crosspieces I! generally are as thick as the side rails i9 and are prepared from lumber as a general rule simply by crosscut sawing it to length. Since steel strip sheets generally come in standard sizes, it is again possible to have a stock pile of precut lengths of end rails l1 and bottom crosspieces l5 stockpiled and ready for final assembly into a new crate as it is needed. Preferably, the height of the end rails I! will be less than that of the side rail l 0 as shown in Figures 2 and 3. The end rails I! are affixed as by nailing them to the ends of the side rails ill by nails l8 shown in dotted outline in Figure 4. The top surfaces of the end rails i! are on a level with the tops respectively of the side rails [8 while permitting the bottoms of the side rails Hi, the ledge rails H and the nailing strips [3 to act as skids on which the new crate can he slid wherever that method of movement is to be employed. Generally, short corner strips l9 which may be made of scrap metal are bent around the corners of the crate after the end crosspieces ii are aimed and themselves are held in place. Such corner strips afford somewhat additional protection at a prominent part to protect the crate somewhat more if it is dropped on its corner in the course of being handled in I i a freight or express shipment.

As assembled to the point just described. the new crate is ready for a bottom liner 2B. These liners may be made of a good quality paperboard such as "Upson board or wood fiberboard. If the outer surface thereof is sized or sized and pebbled it will not only increase the moisture resistance of the crate but also will provide a surface for such legends or coloring or other decorative effect as it may be desired to place thereon. Such liner boards as board 25 come in standard sizes as a general rule and are readily cut with a saw to the precise dimension required. In the instant case, the dimension of the board must conform to the area inside the side rails i0 and the end rails i! overlying ledge rails l i and closing the interstices or gaps between the bottom crosspieces l5. Liners such as bottom liner 20 when the crate is unpacked are substantially unimpaired in quality or appearance and may therefore be used for other purposes or re-used for the same purpose.

Sheet material to be shipped such as cold rolled steel sheets 2! are placed on the bottom liner 20 between the side rails 10 and the end rails I! as shown in part in Figure 3. These sheets 2! are only schematically shown in Figure 3 inasmuch as they may vary materially in thickness. For some surface finishes, for example, oiled sheets of paper 22 may be placed between the respective sheets of metal 2i and such an oiled sheet may be placed between liner 20 and the underside of the lowermost sheet 2! to protect the sheets against any weather or moisture intrusion that might affect that surface finish. The sheet material 2| will generally have a clearance about one-eighth'inch around its entire edge between such edge and the inside of the new crate. At the same time the side edges of sheets 2 will be fully supported by ledge rails I I to keep the sheets from sagging between crosspieces l5.

After the requisite number of steel sheets 2|, for example, have been placed in the new crate on bottom liner 2s, a further oiled sheet 23 of paper or other protective material may be placed on top of the sheets 2i and a top liner 24 placed thereon in turn. Top liner 24 may be similar in all respects to bottom liner 20 except that if but a single side of top liner 25 is sized or painted, that side will generally be uppermost rather than lowermost as in the case of liner 29. If the liners 2d, 24, metal sheets 2! and separators 22, 23 are substantially flush with the tops of rails l0, it will enable top crosspieces 25 to be placed direct- 1y across the upper surface of liner 24 which will be generally at the level or the bottoms of the top crosspieces 25. In some cases there may be or it may be desirable to leave a little clearance between the top of liner 2d and the plane defined by the tops of side rails I t and end rails I1. In that case, tightening strips 28 may be laid along the sides of the new crate on top of liner 24 against the side rails is, as shown in Figure 3. These tightening strips 25 may be cut from paperboard or fiberboard scrap left over in preparing liners 2G and 24, for example. When top crosspieces 25 are nailed in place as by nails 21 with tightening strips 26 in place the entire crate and its contents form a relatively rigid article for shipment.

The top crosspieces 25 have a length which will span the entire width of the new crate including the thickness of the side rails ii] on each side thereof. The top pieces 25 at the ends preferably will overliethe top surfaces of the respective end cross rails H to help strengthen the ends of the crate and avoid any projecting edge to catch during the handling of the shipment. Along the length of the new crate the top crosspieces 25 are spaced at selected intervals as in the case of the bottom crosspieces ll.

The assembly so completed with the material to be shipped therein presents an economical and satisfactory crate which has a highly pleasing appearance and high salvage value. At the same time it keeps the metal sheets fiat and protected and increases the weight of them that can be shipped in the new crate for a given dimension and weight of shipment and it solves a problem which has long existed in this particular art.

The invention is not to be limited except as may be done by the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. A substantially rectangular crate for sheet material or the like. comprising in combination, generally parallel side rails extending along the length of said crate, said side rails being generally rectangular in section, ledge rails of generally rectangular section extending along said side rails and affixed thereto inwardly thereof respectively adjacent the bottom thereof, said ledge rails having a height less than the height of said side rails thereof, nailing strips of generally rectangular section extending along said ledge rails and affixed thereto inwardly thereof respectively adjacent the bottoms thereof, said nailing strips having a height less than the height of said ledge rails, said side rails, ledge rails and nailing strips forming subassemblies downwardly and inwardly stepped, end rails extending between and connected to the respective ends of said subassemblies to close'the ends ofsaid crate, bottom crosspieces extending between the inner sides of said ledge rails and connected to said subassemblies, and top pieces extending over said bottom crosspieces generally at the top of said side rails, said top pieces being afiixed to said subassemblies when said crate is complete.

2. A substantially rectangular crate for sheet material suchas steel sheets or the like, comprising in combination, generally parallel side rails extending along the length of said crate, said side rails being generally rectangular in section and having any longer dimension extending generally parallel to the height of said crate, ledge rails of generally rectangular section ailixed to the inner sides of said side rails respectively and extending along the length of saidcrate, the bottoms of said ledge rails and side rails being generally in the same plane, said ledge rails further having a height less than the height of said side rails, bottom crosspieces extending between the inner sides of said ledge rails and connected thereto, the tops of said ledge rails and bottom crosspieces being generally in the same plane, end crosspieces connected to the respective ends of said side rails and closing the ends of said crates, the tops of said end crosspieces being generally in the plane of the top of said side rails, the bottoms of said end crosspieces being above the bottoms of said side rails, and top crosspieces extending between and affixed to the tops of said side rails.

3. A substantially rectangular crate for sheet material or the like, comprising in combination, generally parallel side rails extending along the length of said crate, said side rails being generally rectangular in section, ledge rails of generallyv rectangular section extending along said side rails andaffixed thereto inwardly thereof respectively adjacent the bottoms thereof, said ledge rails having a heightless than the height of said side rails and adapted to engage by oppo site edges of said sheet material, the distance be tween the top of said side rails and the top of said ledge rails defining the interior height of said crate, nailing strips extending along said ledge rails and afiixed thereto inwardly thereof respectively adjacent the bottoms thereof, said nailing strips having a height less than the height of said ledge rails, end rails extending between and connected to the respective ends of the respective side rails and extending generally from the tops of said side rails at least to the tops of said ledge rails, bottom crosspieces aflixed to said nailing strips and extending generally between the inner sides of said ledge rails, said bottom crosspieces having a height generally equalto the distance between the tops of said nailing strips and the tops of said ledge rails respectively, and top crosspieces extending between and connected to the tops of said side rails.

4. A substantially rectangular crate for sheet material such as steel sheets or the like, comprising in combination, generally parallel side rails forming the outer sides of said crate, said side rails being generally rectangular in section, ledge rails of lesser height than said side rails fastened to the lower inner sides of said side rails respectively, said ledge rails being of generally rectangular section, nailing strips of lesser height than said ledge rails fastened to the inner lower sides of said ledge rails, said nailing strips being of lesser height than said ledge rails, parallel spaced bottom crosspieces extending between the inner side of said ledge rails above said nailing strips, said bottom crosspieces being iastened to said nailing strips, end crosspieces extending between the ends of said side rails and fastened thereto to close the ends of said crate, board liners fitting within the space defined by the inner sides of said side rails and end crosspieces, and top crosspieces extending between the tops of said side rails and fastened thereto.

5. A substantially rectangular crate for sheet material such as steel sheets or the like, comprising in combination, generally parallel side rails forming the outer sides of said crate, said side rails being generally rectangular in section, ledge rails of lesser height than said side rails fastened to the lower inner sides of said side rails respectively, said ledge rails being of generally rectangular section, nailing strips of lesser height than said ledge rails fastened to the inner lcwer sides of said ledge rails, said nailing strips being of lesser height than said ledge rails, parallel spaced bottom crosspieces extending between the inner sides of said ledge rails above said nailing strips, said bottom crosspieces being fastened to said nailing strips, end crosspieces extending between the ends of said side rails and fastened thereto to close the ends of said crate, tightening strips along the respective inner sides of said side rails, and top crosspieces fitting between the tops of said side rails and fastened thereto.

6. Ina process of rectangularly and attractively crating sheet material such as steel sheets or the like, the steps comprising, forming inwardly and downwardly stepped subassemblies of side rails, ledge rails and nailing strips affixed to each other, cutting said subassemblies substantially to the full length of said sheet material, the bottoms of each being generally in the same plane, affixing end rails to the ends of said side rails respectively, said end rails extending generally between the tops of said side rails and the tops of said ledge rails, affixing bottom crosspieces in spaced parallel relation to said subassemblies to extend between the inner sides of said ledge rails, the tops of said bottom crosspieces being placed in said aflixing generally level with the tops of said ledge rails, placing said sheet material on said bottom crosspieces and the tops of said ledge rails to a depth extending generally to the tops of said side rails, placing tightening strips along the respective inner sides of said side rails over the side edges of said sheet material, and affixing top crosspieces to the tops of said side rails to complete said crating operation and bind said sheet materials in place.

7. A substantially rectangular crate for sheet material such as steel sheets or the like, comprising in combination, generally parallel side rails extending along the length of said crate, a plurality of ledge rails affixed to said side rails respectively and extending inwardly of the inner sides of said side rails, a plurality of relatively widely spaced bottom crosspieces connected to the lower portion of said side rails immediately adjacent to the bottom of said side rails and exending therebetween, the tops of said ledge rails and bottom crosspieces being generally in the same plane, end crosspieces connected to the respective ends of said side rails and closing the ends of said crates, the tops of said end crosspieces being generally in the plane of the top of said side rails, and relatively widely spaced top crosspieces extending between and afiixed to the tops of said side rails.

JAMES W. MCCRACKEN References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 904,694 Hemmick Nov. 24, 1908 2,321,137 Di Cicco June 8, 1943 2,332,016 Schweller Oct. 19, 1943 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 438,264 Great Britain Nov. 13, 1935 

